Isaac s



(ModeL) 1. s. MQGIEHAN.

Gar Coupling. V

No. 243,594. Patenied June 28,1881.

Inventor.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

- ISAAC S. MCGIEHAN, OF JERSEY CITY, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOR TO THE ATWOOD RAILWAY WHEEL COMPANY, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

CAR-COUPLING.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 243,594, dated June 28, 1881.

Application filedMay 5, 1881.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ISAAC S. MGGIEHAN, a citizen of the United States, and residing at Jersey City, in the State of New Jersey, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Oar-Couplers, of which the following isa specification.

The object of my invention is to provide means by which cars may be coupled and uncoupled automatically, so that the necessity of going between the cars in order to couple or uncouple them may be obviated, and at the same time to arrange and construct the coupler so that cars of different heights may be coupled and uncoupled automatically. V

Reference being had to the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 represents a plan of my coupler when the cars are coupled. Fig. 2

' represents a side elevation. Fig. 3 represents Fig. 1.

are of one entire piece, having a hole through a front view of the coupler.

In the figures of the drawings, A represents the casings, which act as a covering for the more intricate parts. 7

On one side of the outer end of each casing A is situated a shoulder, C. These shoulders must be so constructed as to extend vertically above and below the casings A.

As shown in Figs. 2 and 3, B is the drawbar attached to the casings A, and having at the outer end the hook I.

My object in extending the shoulders 0 above and below the casings A is to provide ample means for-properly receiving the hook I when the cars to which the coupler may be attached should be of different heights. It will thus be seen that the hook I of one coupler is made to fit into the shoulder G of the opposite coupler. It will also be seen by reference to the drawings that the hook I and the shoulder 0 should be of the shape there shown, in order that they may fit snugly.

At the other end of the draw-bar B is the arm J, constructed for the purpose of confining the spring, indicated by F and shown in The draw-bar B, arm J, and hook I which passes the bolt R for the purpose of securing it to the casings A, as shown in Fig.1.

D is a block, of elliptical form, between the casings A,having an eccentric movement, and

(lIodeL) O is a shaft which extends vertically through its center. This shaft is connected, either above or below the casings A,with the handle G, which may be drawn to the opposite side of the car by means of a rod, and the effect of F is a spring which fits tightly between the arm J and the block K, and its operation is to throw the draw-bar B into its position again after having been uncoupled by means of the eccentric D and the handle G.

H represents a link, and h a pin, which are ordinarily used to couple cars, and which may be used,in connection with my device, to couple with another car not provided with my improvemeut.

K represents a block attached to the casings A, and having a socket on one side to hold one end of the spring F.

The operation of my car-coupler is as follows: By turning the handle G by means of a rod attached to it and reaching to the opposite side of the car the elliptical block or eccentric D is caused to revolve to a position where its diameter is the greatest. When it has reached this position it will have acted on one side on the lever E so as to force it outwardly and against the hook I of the opposite coupler, and on the other side it will force out of its position the draw-bar B. This operation instantaneously detaches the draw-bars B from the shoulders G. This is one way of uncoupling the cars; but I do not wish in this invention to confine myself entirely to this one method, because the uncoupling maybe done in another way. By extending the shaft 0 to the top of the car, and there operating it by proper means, the uncoupling will be just as readily effected as in the former method. Upon releasing the handle G the elliptical block or eccentric D will again assume its original position, and the spring F will throw the drawbar B again into its place, so that when the Letters Patent, is-

1. The combination of the casing A, having on one side of its outer end a shoulder, 0, constructed as hereinbet'ore described, with the draw-bar B, constructed as described above, the elliptical-shaped block or eccentric D, in

connection with the lever E, the handle Gr, spring F, and the shaft 0, substantially as described and set forth.

2. The combination of the casing A, having on one side of its outer end a shoulder,G, coustructed as hereinbet'ore described, with the draw-bar B, having on one end the hook I, and on the other end the arm J extending at right-angles from said draw-bar, all forming one entire piece, in connection with the spring F and block K, as and for the purposes described.

I. S. MCGIEHAN.

Witnesses:

JOHN B. VOSKAMP, EVAN P. GEORGE, Jr. 

